


paralyze my heart

by MxBBadperson



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Mind Control, Mind Control, ULTIMATE KARKAT BABEYS, alt!dirk is here for the hilarious dramatic irony, dirkkat and jakekat undertones, mentions of SO MUCH mind control
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:02:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27267667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MxBBadperson/pseuds/MxBBadperson
Summary: Karkat snorted. That fucking hurt to do too. ‘You want me to stay so you can stay happy,’ he stated.‘Yes,’ Dirk agreed. No use denying it.Karkat huffed. ‘Don’t know how I’m gonna manage that while fucking dying but fine, I’ll stay.’
Kudos: 7





	paralyze my heart

Dirk scrolled through his phone as he walked. There were messages from Roxy. Calliope and Jane talking about what they did on the weekend, what they watched and possible plans for the next weekend. There were pictures from Rose and Jade, Rose sent pictures of the small garden Kanaya had started and Jade sent pictures of her eating and Dave and John smiling at the camera. Dirk smiled. It was a good day. There was a message from Jake but no mention of Karkat. But that was okay, Dirk didn’t need to hear from him anyway. 

It had been a good past few months. They had all started to reconnect. It was slow but they all managed to do it. They talked to each other easily enough, leaving messages and pictures for each other. But it wouldn’t have happened without him. Dirk put on an a black cap, he would fix his hair later. He turned to the package. It was five feet and five inches tall steel box and inside was what he had been working on throughout the week. The other robots lifted it. Dirk opened the door and they walked through.

They walked to the clinic right next to the apartment. Dirk continued scrolling through the messages. The voice in his head was strange at first, the prompting to call or message his friends and family even stranger but he had managed to do it. The voice had said to tell them what was happening and what was happening and he had fought against it. The voice had won in the end. Words spilled from his lips and he couldn’t stop it. He had hated it. Not anymore. 

His friends and family had talked to him and he had talked to them. The distance that had grown had slowly shrunk. He had his friends and family back. Looking back, it hurt that he had grown distant. But now it was fixed and it was all because of him. Dirk read Jake’s message. Jake could only manage messages because he was busy with his followers. He has to go to a fan meeting so the hope field was down. Dirk could do this another time, when Jake came back, but the package was already finished and Karkat’s sickness had gotten worse. It was time.

Dirk shouldered the door open, the robots following. They walked past the receptionist. Their eyes slid away from Dirk. They didn’t call attention to his shades, the robots, the box or the sword by his hip. They had been hired by Jake, the whole clinic was under Jake’s thumb. No one here would snitch. They loved Jake too much to even think of betraying their idol. 

They walked deeper into the clinic, stopping in front of a room. It was the only room here that mattered. Dirk pulled the door open. He stepped aside for the robots. They set the package down next to the bed. Dirk stepped closer to it. Karkat was lying on it. His gray skin was pale, his eyes closed with dark circles under them, ventilator around his nose and mouth and wires connected him to the machines. The vital sign monitor beeped. A robot closed the door. Dirk sat down on the bedside chair, crossed his arms, tucked his chin against his chest and waited. 

Karkat had gotten sick three years ago and had only gotten sicker. Dave and Jade were devastated but there was nothing they could do. The voice in Dirk’s head had started talking then. It didn’t take long to figure out _who’s_ voice it was. Dave and Jade had started to get even closer then dated, moved out of the house the three of them shared and slowly, they thought of Karkat less and less. They hadn’t visited him after a month of being a sick. Even Kanaya had stopped bringing him up. When he had asked them about Karkat, they just wondered what he was doing then continued talking about something else. 

With his sickness came new powers. Jane had somehow taken a break from work, Dave and Rose had convinced John to get out of his house and go on a walk through a park with them, Roxy and Calliope had seemed closer now, and Jake had gotten more and more famous. Dirk knew it was his powers at work. 

Karkat had gotten so sick that Jake had found him in an unconscious heap. Jake had gotten this clinic for him and Dirk understood. If it weren’t for Karkat, he wouldn’t have a chance at happiness either. Karkat’s eyes cracked open. He looked at the ceiling then turned his head slowly. *Everything* fucking hurt but that had been the situation for the past few months. Eevn with Jake's hope field. Dirk’s eyes snapped open. He lifted his head and leaned closer. ‘Hey,’ he said softly. 

‘What are you doing here?’ Karkat rasped. His voice had gone. 

‘Brought you something,’ Dirk said. Karkat frowned. Still had the energy for that, Dirk though fondly. ‘What were you planning to do?’ he asked. 

Karkat was silent. ‘I thought of dying,’ he admitted after a few minutes, ‘there’s nothing else I could do. Everyone seems to be happy,’ he said. 

‘Seems,’ Dirk said. He uncrossed his arms, setting his hands on his knees. His finger-less gloves were red, matching his gray shirt. ‘Don’t know when yet but Dave and Jade are gonna get married. Do you think the marriage will last long?’ 

‘I don’t know but they wouldn’t hurt each other,’ Karkat said. ‘They wouldn’t,’ he repeated. 

‘You don’t seem sure about it,’ Dirk said mildly.

Karkat gave him a look then snorted. That fucking hurt to do too. ‘You want me to stay so you can stay happy,’ he stated. 

‘Yes,’ Dirk agreed. No use denying it. 

Karkat huffed. ‘Don’t know how I’m gonna manage that while fucking dying but fine, I’ll stay.’

‘Got something to help with that,’ Dirk said. He stood up and went to the box. He opened it, showing the thing inside it to Karkat. 

‘Of fucking course,’ Karkat muttered. Dirk was the only one who could make such a thing. ‘What do I do?’

‘Nothing. I’ll connect you to it,’ Dirk answered. He kneeled down to start working on it. Karkat’s started at his shoulders for several minutes then closed his eyes. He was just so fucking *tired.*

Dirk spent minutes working. He had to get everything right. Karkat had to survive. A shiver went down on his spine. His hand flew up to rest of his katana’s _tsuka_. The room’s door slowly slid open. Dirk’s hand curled around the handle. The door was fully open. The robots ran forward with their hands outstretched. They didn’t even touch him. They were cut apart, landing on the floor with a _crash_ in pieces. Dirk jumped to his feet while unsheathing his sword. He whirled around to face him, blade leveled at their throat. 

‘So this is where he’s staying,’ said the other Dirk. He had arrived a year and a half after Karkat had gotten sick. He had tried to stop Karkat, tried to convince him to stop interfering with lives and influencing minds and even tried to convince Dirk to join him. Dirk had refused. He wouldn’t give up whatever happiness he had gotten. 

‘It took you this long to figure it out?’ Dirk asked. 

The other Dirk stepped forward. He was still wearing the prince god tier pajamas. That seemed to be the only thing he wore. He had worn it when it every time he had seen him. ‘Jake’s hope field was hard to get through,’ he answered. That was true. Jake had bought the building right next to the clinic so he keep it up whenever he was home. It had lessened the symptoms of Karkat’s sickness and kept him hidden from whoever looked for him. 

‘It’s time to end this,’ the other Dirk said. He brought his hands together. A light flicked to life between his palms and lightning started crackling. Dirk tensed. Fuck, he knew that move. He wasn’t sure if the package was ready but he didn’t have a fucking choice. He turned it on then lunged. 

Dirk appeared in front of the other Dirk in a burst of ninja speed. He brought his katana down. The other Dirk dodged it, lightning slipping from between his hands and striking the wall. ‘Why do you still listen to him?’ The other Dirk asked, ‘he’s not controlling you anymore. You don’t have to listen to him!’ 

‘I’m not listening to him!’ Dirk snapped back. His katana slashed the doorframe. ‘I’m making sure he lives!’

The other Dirk’s hands fell and the lightning dissipated. He unsheathed his sword. ‘This happiness isn’t real. It’s all just a trick, _his_ trick,’ the other Dirk said. 

‘I know and I don’t care. I want to be happy, I want to _keep_ being happy. It doesn’t matter if it isn’t real,’ Dirk snarled. He swung. The other Dirk blocked it. 

The other Dirk ninja sped back. ‘You’re okay with everyone being controlled? You’re okay with your family and friends doing and saying whatever he says?’ he demanded. 

‘Yes,’ Dirk answered bluntly. The others were happy too. Despite what Karkat did to them, it wasn’t wrong. He followed the other Dirk out onto the hallway. He lunged, sword aimed at the other Dirk’s throat. He blocked it. They were in a lock. Dirk pushed against him. The other Dirk didn’t budge. Dirk gritted his teeth as his arms strained. He turned his sword and the other Dirk’s swords slipped off. Dirk kicked him away. The other Dirk stumbled back. Dirk leveled his sword at him. 

From somewhere in his mind, someone breathed out. There was no shake, no pain in it. From inside the box, a figure slowly stood up. Cloth feel around his feet and the bright red eyes glowed. ‘Dirk,’ the Karkat robot said. Dirk stepped back. ‘Go back to your world. There’s nothing here for you,’ the Karkat robot said. 

‘I won’t,’ the other Dirk replied, ‘you can’t keep controlling them. One of these days it will loosen and I _will_ stop you.’

‘Not a chance,’ Jake said. He pulled the trigger. The gunshot rang out in the clinic. The other Dirk turned to face him. The bullet struck him on the bicep. He grimaced in pain but stepped foward. He ran to Jake. 

Protect Jake. the voice in Dirk's head ordered. Dirk's body moved automatically. He ran at the other Dirk, black shoes skidding across the floor. His soles were bright red. He swung at the other Dirk. The other Dirk dodged. After a burst of ninja speed, he reappeared a short distance away.

‘Stop,’ a voice said. Jake glanced at where it was coming from. It was Karkat’s voice but coming through the robot. Jake frowned. ‘Let him go,’ Karkat said. Jake’s frown deepened but he slowly lowered his pistol. ‘You can only stop me when I *let* you. Go before I change my mind and I tell them to kill you,’ the Karkat robot ordered. The other Dirk looked at him. He took in his other self and this other Jake. They were completely under this Karkat's control that they were even wearing his colors. His lips thinned into a line. He walked away. Dirk and Jake watched him go warily. 

The other Dirk walked out of clinic. Jake and Dirk both turned to the Karkat robot. ‘What was that?’ Jake asked, ‘you didn’t have to let him go! I could have killed him then and there.’

‘I know. But you can kill him later,’ the Karkat robot answered. 

‘Why even keep him alive?’ Dirk asked darkly. 

‘I don’t really feel like it,’ Karkat admitted, ‘guess he hasn’t annoyed me enough to do that.’

‘He has annoyed ME plenty,’ Jake muttered. He stepped closer to the Karkat robot. He was wearing one of the suits Kanaya made for him. Dark green above an imperial red waistcoat and gray shirt. ‘Are you in pain?’ he asked worriedly. 

The Karkat robot looked at him. His bright eyes were glowing. ‘No, I’m not in pain. In fact, nothing hurts,’ he answered. The light gray cloak feel around his booted feet, held closed by a pin that had a Blood symbol on it. It gleamed. Dirk looked at him appreciatively. He had spent weeks on the robot, making it as close to perfection as possible. He had observed the curves of Karkat’s hair, the arch of his eyebrows, the curve of his lips and shape of his hands. 

Karkat lifted his hand and looked at it. ‘Nothing hurts at all,’ he said. 

‘Are you dead? Is this your new body?’ Jake asked nervously. 

‘No, I’m not dead and this isn’t my new body,‘ Karkat replied. He turned to the room. ‘I’m still alive, my body is still on the bed.’ Jake peaked into the room. Karkat was asleep, the vital sign monitor beeping. 

‘What’s going to happen now?’ Jake asked. 

‘What are you going to do now?’ Dirk asked. 

‘I don’t know,’ Karkat admitted, ‘I thought about dying.’ Jake’s expression was horrified. ‘But I decided to stay.’ Jake looked relieved. ‘I’ll have to figure out what to do from now on.’

‘We can give you some things to do,’ Dirk suggested. 

‘Maybe,’ Karkat replied. He laid his hands on Dirk and Jake’s hands. Their shoulders relaxed. ‘What will happen to my body?’ Karkat wondered. 

‘Nothing. It’ll stay here and we’ll keep it safe,’ Jake said. 

‘Whatever happens, _we’ll_ keep you safe,’ Dirk said determinedly. Jake nodded in agreement. They wouldn’t give up whatever happiness he had given them. 

People poked their head out of the corner. Jake turned to them and waved. Their face brightened. With regret, Jake shook of Karkat’s head and went to them. He talked to them. Their expressions were awed and in love, they were Jake’s followers after all. Jake returned to Karkat’s side seventeen minutes later. He had been busy with the autographs and busy with savoring their adoration. ‘It’ll be like before. They’ll look after your body,’ Jake said. It was the least thing he could for Karkat. Karkat has given him fame, had given followers, had made him greatly loved. 

Karkat nodded. 'I thought you were going to a fan meeting?' Dirk asked. 

'I was but I had to make sure that whatever you'd be doing succeeded,' Jake said. 

'It was good then that you came back,' Karkat said. Jake beamed, pleased with the praise. 'I haven’t seen the Troll Kingdom in years. Maybe I’ll go see what’s going on over there,’ Karkat wondered.

‘And help them?’ Dirk asked. 

‘Yes,’ Karkat said, ‘help them.’ To foster fame, to foster love, to break and strengthen bonds, after all, was his power,

**Author's Note:**

> thinking about... dirk and jake willingly giving themselves to ult!karkat... free will and possible unhappiness vs happiness but under someone's control... alt!dirk being hilariously dramatically ironic... dirk's possible parallels with bro... love it


End file.
